Volume Six betrayal
by xxhanzyxx
Summary: In this final saga to my Nightwing stories.... Will we find out exactly what has happened to Nightwing? And will Tim learn to forgive? Please please please keep the reviews coming, with this story and my others just to spurr me on with my writing, thanks
1. Chapter 1

Betrayal

**Chapter One**

_Three months ago..._

The monotonous sounds of sirens which persistently echoed off every building in Gotham was instantly muted by the fierce roaring of the Batmobile as it tore up the streets of most hated parts of the rotting city.

Robin sat in the finely tuned Batmobile along side Batman in silence, in fact the entire journey from the apartment block had been that way, the same apartment blocks they suspected the fatally injured Nightwing was being detained, but they were too late to find the answers they were looking for.

Tim knew the silence wasn't from anger or even concern on Batman's part, the only thing that was going through Bruce's head right now was that instead of contacting the eagerly waiting Butler and fellow team mates of their expected success, he was to call and inform them of their failure, that the prodigal son would not be returning that night and seemingly not for any night in the near future.

Robin turned to face Batman in the first attempt to make eye contact since they entered the Batmobile fell flat, he himself could feel his muscles aching because of holding himself so tense, and nothing he could do or think of was going to relax him, Batman on the other hand look although you could fire a missile on him and he would be too hard to break, but he knew what he must do and so taking one long deep breath he mustered the courage to speak.

"You... think maybe I should ring the cave? Let them know... of the situation?" Robin attempted to sound sympathetic yet confident at the same time, but no matter how he was going to put it, Batman had just lost his son and has no idea where he had gone.

"No!" Batman flatly replied.

Robin turned away from him and looked down to concentrate on his blood stained gloves, the blood of whom he might as well call a brother.

"I think it would be a good idea Bruce, they are going to want any form of news, no matter how good or bad." He still spoke carefully as to not heighten Batman's already dangerous manner.

"I said no dammit!" Batman turned angrily at Robin but taking his eyes off the road for only that split second, but due to the speed it was travelling, that was all it needed to loose control.

"Batman! Watch out!" Robin shouted out as he took over the controls in a failed attempt to correct the Batmobile as it span uncontrollably, but soon realised it was impossible to correct and instead braced himself for impact as a wall quickly descended upon the pair.

The impact was tremendous as all that was left of the fortunately unoccupied building was rubble. With the Batmobile now dead silent and again the sounds of sirens filled the Gotham night once more.

Robin coughed, winded from the impact as he desperately clambered out of the rubble and attempted to get a breath of fresh air amongst all the debris, his head and ears pulsating from the force as he desperately tried to get hold of the situation through blurred vision as the smoke threatened to engulf him.

"Batman?" He nervously asked as he looked at the still character through blurred vision. "Batman!" He panicked once he saw the head injury and realised he was out cold."Alfred! Alfred its Robin... I-I need back-up... its Batman, he's hurt"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Two weeks later..._

"Is there still no improvement Alfred?" Tim eagerly questioned as he entered the cave.

"I'm afraid not Master Timothy." The seemingly now frail Butler responded.

"Don't you think we should get him to hospital? I mean we could just say that Bruce Wayne had been up to his usual billionaire tricks, like cave jumping or something?"

"We are far more equipped down here than any hospital in Gotham I can assure you of that Master Timothy." Alfred reassured the teenage crime fighter.

"Besides he has Alfred and myself looking after him." Dr Leslie's voice then entered the room.

"And Dr Leslie herself is far more able than any other doctor or surgeon in Gotham."

"Flattery will get you nowhere Mr Pennyworth." Dr Leslie smiled politely, which irritated Tim with their seemingly slack attitude.

"Don't you two get it?! Batman is unconscious and has been now for over a fortnight, he deliberately lost control of the Batmobile and now won't wake up from, for Batman, a pretty routine head injury!"

"What are you trying to imply Tim?" Dr Leslie questioned the irate boy.

"That he has given up! He lost his son and he couldn't come to terms with it!" Slamming his fist hard onto the gurney table, unsure as to why this made him feel so angry.

"Master Tim, I doubt very much that is the case, you and I both know how strong..." Alfred's soothing voice did little to help as he was cut short.

"But you didn't see him Alfred. The look in his eyes when he entered the room, he felt he had failed because... I felt it too." He began to understand why he was so angry.

"Neither of you failed." Alfred held onto his shoulder in an attempt to offer him reassurance but Tim almost violently removed it.

"Yes we did! We both did and he wasn't strong enough to admit it to everyone and instead left it for me to do!" Tim's emotions finally rose to the surface. "_Coward._"

"Now, now Tim, you have had a rough couple of weeks and you haven't rested one bit, maybe you should take a few days, let The Birds Of Prey take full control of the search for a while." Dr Leslie intervened.

Tim shook his head as he attempted to hide his tears, which he was unsure came from sadness or anger.

"No, no I wont, because when Bruce does eventually wake up, I want him to see that I have been trying to find Dick, that I haven't given up, unlike him."

Both Alfred and Dr Leslie were just about to have another failed attempt of convincing Tim to rest when the echoing of someone walking down the cave's entrance made an appearance.

"Has there been any improvement?" Selina anxiously broke the tension as she walked up to the medic area of the cave, her leg still in a cast from where Shriek wounded her.

"You work it out Einstein." Tim answered her bluntly as he force himself past the group, causing Selina to stumble to the ground. Tim not hesitating to see if she was alright as he marched into the darkness of the cave.

"Selina... are you alright?" Both Dr Leslie and Alfred rushed to her aid.

"Yes, yes i'm fine, he's just a bit short tempered at the moment that's all." Selina helped herself up coyly.

"Yes but that is no excuse Ms Kyle, we are all tired so I shall be having a word with him about this matter later."

"No there's no need Alfred honestly, just let him be." Selina knowing full well that his reaction was not only over Bruce's condition, but about her own actions the night Nightwing was taken.

"Would you like me to check you over Selina... make sure everything is alright?" Dr Leslie looked at Selina who just gazed at her blankly, "With your leg?"

"Oh... oh my leg... No that won't be necessary Dr Lesley, I feel fine really." For a split seconds she forgets about her dark secret, her betrayal to Bruce, which is carefully hidden beneath adequate amount of clothing without looking suspicious for the usually risqué dressed Catwoman.

"Selina?" The gruff voice entered the equation.

"Oh my god Bruce!" Selina rushed to his side as she took one of his hands in hers and kissed it.

"Take it slowly Bruce, you have been out for some time you body will need to re adjust." Dr Leslie ordered as she aided him out of his unconsciousness.

"H-how long?" Bruce's dry voice was like gravel to the ears.

"Two weeks Bruce, buts it's alright everything has been taken care of, Gotham is fine." Selina reassured her husband to be.

"Dick?"

They all were waiting for that question and knew that it would come and yet no one could prepare themselves to break the news.

"I'm afraid Master Bruce, that there has been no progress so far on that front, but I assure you everyone is working hard on the case."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Five months ago..._

"No you go in first."

"I broke the news last time".

"So... I went in first."

"Yeah but you didn't say anything when she asked you... _wimp_."

"Who you calling a wimp... Bird Brain!"

"How dare you make fun of my name 'Huntress' whatever the heck that means."

"It makes more sense than a Black Canary!" Huntress then shoved the blonde beauty, causing her to stumble on the ledge and once she found her footings, the arguing continued.

"Girls! Stop!" The loud command, which mutated the pair instantaneously, was the only thing that broke the bickering.

"Sorry Barbara, it's just that..."

"I know Helena, neither of you wanted to break the news that there is no news right?"

"Sorry Barbara." Dinah replied as they both made their way into the Clocktower.

"Its fine, I though the lead was dead anyway, how can you trust a guy that calls himself Shifty Stallone?" Barbara wheeled herself from where the pair entered, trying to hide her disappointment.

"But at least they are leads."

"I can managed to find a needle in a hay stack, in fact I have on several occasions and yet I can't manage to find a missing Superhero." She runs her fingers through her long auburn hair in despair.

"I know, it must be so hard on you, but you must not blame yourself, you couldn't possibly have known Jason would have don't this to you, heck I don't even think Jason though he could do it to you."

"Can we not talk about Jason please." Barbara ordered, though the pain in her eyes over what has happened in the past was clear for the pair to see.

"I'm sorry but you Bat clang all seem to think that everything is always your fault and yours alone, it must have been in the guidebook or something'"

"But it is my fault Dinah! I should have been more careful."

"Barbara honey, you couldn't have been more careful that if you had joined a convent after your split with Dick. Trust me I should know." Helena scoffed as Dinah and Barbara have a heart to heart.

"Yeah and look at where it got me... my boyfriend fed my ex to the mob and not just any mob, but one of the most violent sick creature that has ever walked this earth." Barbara shuddered at the sheer thought of the man.

Dinah leant down to Barbara and gave her a reassuring hug. "We will find him Barbara."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Four months ago..._

"Well done Bruce, if you can keep going like that you will be back on the streets in no time" Dr Leslie watched the beads of sweat run down Bruce's heavily sculpted back at he attempted more moves on the rings.

"I... uh... use to be able to do three hundred just as my warm up."

"And you will again, it has still only been four months, it just takes time that's all."

"Yes, time I don't have Leslie." Bruce frankly replies.

"We all know what you must be going through Bruce, but if Oracle can't find any leads..."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? The fact that Barbara is incompetent!" Bruce's gravelled voice tore through Dr Leslie as she took a wary step back.

"I think Dr Leslie was only trying to make the situation seem a little less bleak if I may Master Bruce." Alfred's entered the work out area with much needed refreshments and a towel, seemingly blissfully unaware of Bruce's temper.

"Well I don't need words of wisdom Alfred, I need results and I need them now... where's my suit?" He barked his commands heartlessly at his old friend.

"Bruce you are in no fit state to go out like that yet" Dr Leslie warned.

"I'm not asking your advice or your permission for that matter, besides I don't think either of you are in a position to stop me." He hovered over the elderly pair.

"But I could." Tim's harsh tone echoed into the cave.

"Just suit up Tim, were going out." Bruce commanded, already semi transformed into his alter ego.

"No Bruce, I am going on patrol, you are going to stay here." Tim sounded almost as intimidating as the Batman himself.

"I'm going out on patrol Tim." Batman now responded dangerously, Tim knew mentally that Batman was not a man to be fought even if his physical condition may give Tim the upper hand in apprehending him.

"Fine, you want to go out and try and get yourself killed, go ahead, but i'm not letting you endanger my life again."

"What you're going to quit? Getting all a bit much is it Tim?" He watched as Tim turned his back after a mocked, almost pitiful smile and left him in the darkness alone,

"TIMOTHY!" Batman howled into the darkness of the cave, causing the bat's to all simultaneously leave their nest, causing an almost incoherent array of noise and movement around the cave.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_Two months ago..._

Barbara sat alone in the Clock tower, intentionally shrouded in darkness. A slight smile forced its way across her face as she was reminded of better times. Times when she would joke with Dick about Batman and how he would mope in the shadows like a sulking child and how neither of them would let the other become like that. They promised each other that they would just keep smiling, no matter what they faced in life, it was one of the things that pulled her through her paralysis. But Dick was gone, he wasn't there to stop the badness poisoning her every thought, allowing her to see just how easily it could be to seek comfort out of the darkness as Batman did.

Barbara eventually snapped herself out of her daze or doze as the case may have been, she couldn't remember the last time she had seen her bed. Realising how tired she was feeling both mentally and physically, she wheeled herself towards the kitchen where there was a constant supply of fresh coffee waiting.

It was then that she noticed the figure in the hall way.

"Dick!" She cried out, desperately turning on the main light as she did so, the brightness scorched her eyes but she forced them open, desperate to see his face, but once her eyes corrected to the light, hers tears of happiness distorted.

"I only wish I were for you Barbara." Robin's solemn voice replied.

"I know." She wiped away her tears, hoping that she did so before Robin had noticed. She couldn't help but feel their relationship was not sufficient enough to allow her to show any sign of weakness, a feeling which was becoming more frequent as of late.

"Are you alright?" Robin gingerly moved towards her, unsure on whether acknowledging the glistening tears staining her cheeks would be a wise move.

"I'm fine!" She replied sharply, swatting his extended hand from her reach before pausing, mentally scolding herself already, "Sorry, it's just that well... it was wishful thinking on my part that's all." She wiped another fresh bead of tears from her cheeks as Robin looked towards her vast array of computers, seemingly already over her reaction.

"It's fine Barbara, really." He turned to face her again, with a reassuring smile fixed across his face, though she was aware that the smile was almost forced to an extent. Being the comic part of the duo clearly was not as natural for him as it was for Dick and that he would probably be more comfortable standing in the shadows with Batman, not in the bright body armour that he wears now.

"Just that Dick was the only one that could trip my security, well before you anyway." She attempted to put a tune in her now flat voice, something she never had to force before Nightwing's disappearance.

"He still is the only one Barbara, your security was off" He replied, continuing to work on one of the computers, Barbara deterred herself from objecting, watching as he capably mastered her complex systems and turned on the security network. There was no denying that the boy had skills, skills only she herself wished she had at his age.

"Damn." Barbara muttered to herself.

He turned himself back to look at her, knowing that she had composed herself enough for eye to eye contact.

"I thought something was wrong." His voice was more serious and far more suited for the person behind the mask Barbara noted.

"Nothing is wrong," She pushed past Robin and did some programming of her own, just to save face, "I have just been a bit slack lately."

"A bit slack?" Robin looked round the seemingly battered Clock tower, "It looks like a few of the guys I know live here."

"Yeah well I haven't had much time to worry about the appearance of my office have I!" Barbara snapped.

"Whoa! What is it with you Bat-people? As soon as it hits the fan you all fall to pieces."

"What do you mean?" Barbara's deep frown was apparent even in the dim light. "You are in the family now too."

"Look sorry Barbara I don't mean to take it out on you I really don't, there's nothing wrong with the Clock tower, really..."

"Just get to the point Robin, I don't have the patience."

"It's Batman, since we... well since that night he has been darker than normal."

"Well what do you expect, he's lost the closest thing he had to a son, even if he never admits it." The taint of sadness was obvious in her stone cold words.

"No Barb, this was dangerously dark, he was even threatening Alfred and Dr Leslie, I mean if he is capable of doing that I dread to think what he's going to do out on the streets."

"I know, _I know_, I have almost seen it before, he goes catatonic and there is nothing that any of us can do to stop him, he is the only one capable of controlling himself."

"Well I wouldn't be so sure of that." Robin replies from the shadows, as she expected he would, just like his mentor.

"What do you mean?" Barbara attempts to look into the eyes of the man that now bears the red, green and yellow costume of Dick's original alter ego and realises there is nothing she really knew about him.

"I need you to tell me everything there is to know about Batman."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_Two weeks ago..._

The sounds of whimpering could be heard in the wind from the twenty story building as the dark demon like man stood, clutching hold of another, more feeble human. Batman had known exactly where to find his guy, at an all night strip joint in the dirtiest part of Gotham and he knew exactly where to take him to be interrogated, hence their location.

"Seth, do you know what's it like to be in free fall from the top of the Gotham Plaza Hotel?" Batman asked as he towered above the man before him.

Seth looked wary. "N... n...no."

"Would you like to find out?" Batman demonically cocks an eyebrow before grabbing Seth by the collar and pushes him over the ledge, seemingly oblivious to his screams as he holds onto his by the scruff, "Now tell me what I need to know."

"I... I can't tell you, man."

"You're heavy Seth, I don't know how long I can keep doing this."

"He'd kill me anyway, and it'd be worst than what you would ever do!" He screeches as he looks at the drop that waited for him.

Batman lifts Seth up to eye level before hauling him round roughly and backing him up against the wall. "I wouldn't be so sure of that." Batman growls. "So you'll tell me what I want to know, Seth. How much pain you experience before telling me is your choice."

"No, I have a family..." But his reply was cut short by a sharp fist to the face.

"You people, you scum don't deserve a family!" He grabs Seth as he attempts to crawl away.

"You're crazy man! Real crazy! You're gonna kill me!"

Batman leans into Seth, "I'm considering it."

"You do that, and they will both come after you." Seth nervously laughs.

"They?" Batman pauses as he leans over and picks him off the floor, Seth noticing the instant change in his attitude.

"Yeah," He jeered. "And they'll both be fighting over who gets to do exactly the same to you as they did to your pal!"

Batman then hurls Seth into the roof's top window and watches as the glass splinters around him as he falls to a heap on the floor and again descends upon his victim, Seth's blood smeared against the wall as he attempts to get away.

"Where are they?!" Batman demonically growls.

"I ain't telling you man." Seth babbles, clearly concussed.

"Where are they?!" Batman repeats, the anger in his voice pummels into Seth's chest before being punched once again in the face, hard.

Seth slumps to the ground, resting in his own murky puddle, he slouches against the wall aimlessly for a second before spitting shards of his own teeth causing the puddle he was sat in to turn a crimson red.

"Y-you have nothing," He laughs hysterically at the Batman. "Nothing to threaten me with." He again spits out another tooth, some blood splattered over Batman's face adding to his demonic look.

"I've given you enough warning." Batman grunts as he pulls his arm back, readying for the last fatal blow to his victim which never landed, but Seth had already passed out before that point to know any difference.

"That's enough Batman." Robin ordered whilst maintaining a strong grasp onto Batman's raised fist. He had been watching from a distance for quite some time, but now by the looks of Seth's injuries, he only wished he had intervened sooner.

"I know when it's enough." Batman turns to look at Robin who was shocked to see Batman's face.

"Clearly you don't, look at you, God knows what you would have don't if I weren't watching and for what?"

"Answers."

"Off a dead man? C'mon Bruce I know your good but that's taking interrogation to a whole new level." The slight comic advance in Robin's voice irritated Batman.

"This isn't a laughing matter Robin!" Batman turned violently towards him, Robin however not flinching a bit.

"I agree Bruce, but neither is it a judge, jury and executioner matter." Robin paused for a moment to observe Bruce's response, nothing. "Doing this, becoming this person isn't going to get Dick back any quicker."

Bruce looked at the boy he had trained to become another vigilante in his deluded efforts to rid Gotham of crime and could see that he was growing just as agitated with the red, green and yellow suit as Dick once did, but Tim was a good soldier and an excellent detective and Batman could think of no cause to let him go yet, especially when there is so much work to be done in Gotham.

Bruce closes his eyes behind his mask, seemingly accepting defeat. "Fine. I was thinking we could patrol."

Tim Laughed, dumfounded by Batman's words. "And now you want to go out on patrol with me? Why is that Bruce huh? Hoping to prove to me that you are alright? Or is it that you want to work me to the ground until dawn each and every night for the next few weeks, get me good and tired so that the next time you fly off the handle I won't be there to stop you?" Robin knew his comments were hard and by the look on Batman's face it hit all the right spots, but he knew what he was doing, he hoped.

"The idea has merit Robin." Batman replied dryly causing Tim's blood to boil.

Tim takes one small, deliberate step closer, exhaling deeply. "I know you, the real you. I've been watching you and Dick my whole life, remember?"

"And?"

"Just give me one reason Bruce, just one more, and we can make things nice and complicated." Tim had to threaten him, he couldn't think of any other way of stopping him.

Batman uncharacteristically crosses one leg over the other as he leans back into the wall behind him slowly, arms folded, with equal care.

"And most people who 'know' me also tend to know it's not a good idea to threaten me."

"Most people have no idea what to threaten you with." Tim mimicked Batman's actions, which infuriated the Batman once more.

"You little!" Batman pounced upon the stunned Robin, punching him several times into the opposing wall in no apparent fashion. "None of you! None of you appreciate what I have given to train you!" He eventually stopped his beating and looked at Robin's now bloodied face, which matched his own. "I don't know why I wasted my time!"

Robin managed to remain on his feet during the beating, just about, he was badly winded, and his healing rib throbbed with pain but he expected most injuries were superficial, however he was glad it stopped when it did. Batman watched Robin as he attempted to get the much needed air once again into his lungs, but as he stood, leaning towards the ground it instantly caused a ghastly nose bleed to occur, snapping Batman out of his frenzied attack.

"Tim... I." Bruce attempted to apologize, the shock of what he had just done audible in even his dark voice. But he was cut short by Tim's sharp hand gesture.

"Save it Bruce, I just hope your crazed man hunt works out for you." And with that Robin left Batman standing in the darkness.


End file.
